Key takeaways
- 01Bone broth is a slow-simmered stock, different from cooking-stock cubes or commercial broth.
- 02Look for protein content per cup (8g+ is the marker of legitimate bone broth).
- 03Kettle & Fire is the most-accessible brand; shelf-stable Tetra Pak format, widely stocked.
- 04Bonafide Provisions and FOND are the frozen-format premium options, better gelatin and concentration.
- 05Frozen bone broth typically has higher protein content than shelf-stable due to longer/cleaner simmer.
Bone broth is meat-adjacent: a slow-simmered stock made from bones, joints, and connective tissue, designed to extract collagen, gelatin, and minerals. The category exploded in the mid-2010s on the back of the paleo and Whole30 movements and has since matured into a staple category.
Four brands lead the delivery bone broth space. Kettle & Fire is the largest by far, shelf-stable Tetra Pak cartons in grocery and online subscription. Bonafide Provisions is the frozen-format premium answer with better gelatin retention. FOND Bone Broth is the small-batch artisan option from Tennessee with the cleanest ingredient label. US Wellness Meats sells bone broth alongside their grass-fed meat catalog.
Local Meat earns affiliate commissions on some of the brands ranked here. Editorial-independence policy: rankings are earned by the product, sourcing transparency, certification depth, and reader-verified delivery experience are the inputs. Affiliate commissions fund the work; they don't pick the winners. See /disclosure for the full policy.
Producers in this category
US Wellness Meats
Regenerative farm network
Pioneer of grass-fed meat shipped nationally, broadest catalog in the directory including organ meats, suet, soup bones, and traditional cuts the chains skip.
Kettle & Fire
Regenerative farm network
Largest D2C bone broth brand, slow-simmered grass-fed beef + organic chicken broth shipped shelf-stable. The accessible entry to bone broth.
Bonafide Provisions
Regenerative farm network
Frozen organic bone broth, the premium frozen alternative to Kettle & Fire's shelf-stable Tetra Paks. Slow-simmered for 18+ hours.
FOND Bone Broth
Regenerative farm network
Tennessee small-batch frozen bone broth, grass-fed beef + organic chicken simmered 22 hours, the cleanest-label premium broth in the directory.
At a glance
| Producer | What it is | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle & Fire | Shelf-stable Tetra Pak bone broth; widely available in grocery and online; flavor variant breadth. | $8-$12 per carton | Convenience; pantry-stable; flavor-variant exploration. |
| Bonafide Provisions | Frozen organic bone broth; 18+ hour simmer; better gelatin retention than shelf-stable. | $10-$14 per pack | Premium organic; cooking-base concentration. |
| FOND Bone Broth | Tennessee small-batch frozen bone broth; 22-hour simmer; cleanest ingredient label in category. | $12-$16 per pack | Clean-label artisan production; cooking-base quality. |
| US Wellness Meats | Frozen bone broth; bundle with their grass-fed meat orders. | $8-$12 per pack | Buyers already ordering US Wellness meat. |
What to know before you buy
What separates bone broth from stock
Bone broth is simmered for 18-48 hours (vs 4-6 for traditional stock), at lower temperatures, with apple cider vinegar to help extract minerals. The result has more gelatin (it gels in the fridge), more collagen-derived protein, and a richer mouthfeel. Commercial stock cubes and shelf-stable broths in cans typically don't reach the protein content of legitimate bone broth.
Protein content per cup as the quality marker
Legitimate bone broth has 8-10g of protein per cup, almost entirely from collagen-derived gelatin. Cheaper broths show 2-3g per cup, that's stock with meat flavor, not bone broth. Kettle & Fire is in the 9-10g range; Bare Bones and Bonafide hit 12-15g per cup in some products.
Frozen vs shelf-stable
Frozen bone broth is harder to ship and store but typically has higher protein content because the brand can use a deeper simmer without worrying about shelf-stable preservation. Shelf-stable cartons (Kettle & Fire) are more convenient. Both are legitimate; pick by use case.
What it costs
| Path | First order | Ongoing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle & Fire (subscription) | $60 | $60-$120/mo | Shelf-stable Tetra Paks; subscribe-and-save discount. |
| Bonafide Provisions (frozen) | $70 | $70-$130/mo | Premium organic frozen; superior gelatin. |
| FOND Bone Broth (frozen) | $80 | $80-$140/mo | Small-batch artisan; cleanest-label premium. |
| US Wellness Meats | $40 | Variable | Add to grass-fed meat order. |
What to expect
The evidence
Bone broth is high in collagen-derived protein, gelatin, and minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus). Some preliminary research on collagen supplementation for joint health and skin appearance, but the magnitude of effect is modest. We do not make therapeutic claims.
Drawbacks
- Higher sodium than typical food (2-3 grams per cup in some products)
- Premium pricing vs making your own from kitchen scraps
Who should skip this category
- Buyers who already make their own bone broth from kitchen scraps, it's much cheaper to DIY.
- Households on low-sodium diets, most commercial broths are salty.
Look for 8g+ of protein per cup, that's the marker of broth simmered long enough to extract real collagen.
Frequently asked questions
Is bone broth actually different from regular stock?
Does bone broth gel in the fridge?
Can I make bone broth myself for cheaper?
Bottom line
Kettle & Fire for shelf-stable pantry convenience and flavor-variant breadth. Bonafide Provisions for chef-grade frozen concentration. FOND Bone Broth for clean-label artisan small-batch. US Wellness Meats if you're already buying their meat, easy bundle.